Ellis looks to trim ballot

Valerie Faust's nominating petitions challenged; face-off with Jennings in the making

By Jordan Carleo-Evangelist Staff writer

Published 1:00 am, Wednesday, July 29, 2009

ALBANY — Less than two weeks after Common Council President Shawn Morris dropped out of the race, Councilman Corey Ellis is moving to knock from the ballot the last remaining Democrat standing between him and a head-to-head primary with Mayor Jerry Jennings.

Ellis' campaign is backing an effort to invalidate hundreds of Valerie Faust's petition signatures — enough, at least, to push Faust's total below the total needed to stay on the Sept. 15 primary ballot.

To qualify for a citywide office like mayor, candidates need at least 1,000 signatures from enrolled Democrats who live in the city and who have not signed any other candidates' petitions.

Challenging signatures is a fairly common campaign maneuver.

The campaign of Lenny Ricchiuti, one of two Democrats vying for Common Council president, is challenging about 900 of the 3,900 signatures gathered by Carolyn McLaughlin's campaign, according to McLauglin spokesman Tom Nardacci.

On Monday, Ellis' campaign submitted objections to a number of Faust's signatures after "our review showed she was substantially under the 1,000 required," said Ellis spokesman Justin Mikulka.

If successful, the 3rd Ward councilman would finally have the two-way race his campaign has sought with Jennings, a four-term incumbent with a massive edge in fundraising.

Morris said she dropped out only when it became clear Ellis, 38, would not and that a three-way race was not winnable for anyone but Jennings. Ellis' campaign has conceded as much.

Faust, on Tuesday, said she was not surprised to learn Ellis' campaign was trying to knock her from the ballot.

"I received some really hostile letters, e-mails and sat through some really surprising negative conversations about my running from his camp," Faust said, describing the councilman's supporters as "well-meaning."

Mikulka, however, stressed that Ellis has never personally told Faust or anyone else he or she should not run.

Since joining the race, Faust has been forced to contend with rumors that she launched her campaign at the behest of Jennings' allies to dilute the opposition. It's an assertion she strongly rejects.

"I felt that I needed to be in the race to give the people another choice, a very different choice from the mayor, from Corey Ellis," Faust said, adding she believes her candidacy will survive the challenge.

"It's politics, but it's also distasteful," she said of the challenges. "... it's even more distasteful because it's what the present mayor does."

Jordan Carleo-Evangelist can be reached at 454-5445 or by e-mail at jcarleo-evangelist@timesunion.com.